Would you recommend this FAQ? YesNoHow can the author improve this FAQ?Add CommentNo CommentComments are sent anonymously - 140 character max.

Icewind Dale II guide to ranger spells
by Michael Marshall
This guide describes each ranger spell, which spell level it is, how useful it
is based on gameplay experience. I found some spells were more or less effective
than the description suggests, and decided to write a guide to help other gamers
avoid these problems. I hope you find it useful. I have sorted first by level
then mainly by the alphabet. I have used some abbreviations and technical terms
here which I assume everyone is familiar with, but please contact me if unsure.
If spells have effects on other spells, whether ranger or not, then I have
mentioned that spell in capitals.
If you have any suggestions, spot any mistakes, or have questions re. ranger
spells then e-mail me at ihave2manynicknames@hotmail.com, If you put IWD2 ranger
spells as the subject, I should reply sooner. Please do not e-mail about other
aspects of the game, unless I have written a guide about that as well.
The following websites have permission to use this guide:
www.gamefaqs.com
www.neoseekers.com
1st level spells
Delay poison
Casting time: 1
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: slows effect of poison, or sobers up a character
This spell has limited use, as you rarely get poisoned, but it is worth learning
1 as a precaution. Sobering can be useful as well.
Entangle
Casting time: 4
Duration: 10 rounds
Saving throw: R. enables movement
Affects: 20 foot radius
Effect: any creature in the area that doesn't make a save cannot move
and suffers -2 penalty to attack rolls and -4 to Dex. Creatures that save
successfully move at half rate.
This spell has very little use, as creatures that you really want to slow down
will have a better R.S.T. than your characters so you will suffer more anyway.
There are much better things to do to enemies anyway.
Minor elemental barrier
Casting time: 5
Duration: 1 round/level
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: gives a bonus of 4 to cold and fire resistance.
This has some use, when expecting to recieve large amounts of attacks based on
either cold or fire. Don't take charges otherwise.
Sunscorch
Casting time: 4
Saving throw: R. half and avoid blindness
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: does 1d6 + 1/level(max +15) fire damage. Vulnerable creatures
take an extra point/level of fire damage. Target also blinded for 3 rounds. Drow
and svirfneblin blinded with no save.
This is the best 1st level ranger spell, the damage can be quite high,
especially against creatures weak against fire or light, and blinding gives
other advantages. Take as many as you can.
Summon nature's ally I
Casting time: 6
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Summons 1 random creature.
These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for
their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be
much weaker than the enemies. Avoid.
2nd level spells
Alicorn lance
Casting time: 5
Saving throw: R. half
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: does 3d6 piercing damage and gives target -2 to AC for 3
rounds.
This is a brilliant spell, it does plenty of damage and reduces AC. Take as many
as you can.
Beast claw
Casting time: 5
Duration: 10 rounds
Affects: caster
Effect: gives caster +4 Str bonus and replaces weapons with claws that
do 2d4 slashing damage.
Limited use, most available weapons to a level 10 ranger will do much more
damage than this, even with the Str bonus. Don't bother.
Cure light wounds
Casting time: 5
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: heals 1d8 +1/level(max +5) of damage.
Rangers aren't great at healing damage, as they gain spells far too slowly for
the healing to have much significance. But they generally do max healing the
spell allows because of the levels at which they gain spells. Not too bad
though.
Hold animal
Casting time: 5
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving throw: W. negates
Affects: 1d4 creatures in 20 foot-radius
Effect: Holds affected creatures immobile.
This spell has some use, but if the creature is a real threat then this is
unlikely to affect it. Not really worth it.
Protection from fire
Casting time: 6
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: 7/- fire resistance if cast on caster, 5/- if a different
target.
This is a wonderful spell if you are expecting to recieve much fire damage,
don't bother otherwise.
Sleep
Casting time: 1
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Affects: 2d4 creatures in 15 foot radius, ones with 5+ hit dice are
immune.
Effect: Sends affected creatures to sleep, they can't do anything but
will awaken if they take damage.
This is extremely poor, it only affects very weak creatures, and you can't even
damage them without removing the effect. Don't bother.
Summon nature's ally II
Casting time: 6
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions.
These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for
their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be
much weaker than the enemies. Avoid.
3rd level spells
Cure moderate wounds
Casting time: 5
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: heals 2d8 +1/level(max +10) of damage.
Rangers aren't great at healing damage, as they gain spells far too slowly for
the healing to have much significance. But they generally do max healing the
spell allows because of the levels at which they gain spells. Not too bad
though. Twice as good as CURE LIGHT WOUNDS.
Neutralize poison
Casting time: instant
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: removes all poison
Does what it says, you need to take 1 or 2 charges, but more will be wasted as
poison is quite rare in this game.
Protection from lightning
Casting time: 7
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: gives target 6/- resistance to electricity
This spell is worth taking if you expect to recieve much electric damage, but
pointless otherwise.
Rainstorm
Casting time: 6
Duration: 2 rounds
Saving throw: R. halves
Affects: 30 foot radius. Outside only
Effect: all cold or fire based creatures take 2d3 magic damage each
round, all creatures in area have 50% chance of taking 2d6 electric damage,
which they can save against. Salamander auras and long term flame spells are
extinhuished.
This is a great spell whenever fighting cold or fire creatures outside,
especially salamanders. Otherwise has very limited use. Take none if inside for
a long time; take 1 during normal outside areas; up to 3 when fighting cold or
fire based creatures outside.
Remove Disease
Casting time: 1 round
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: removes disease and cures 5HP
Does exactly what it says. Must take 1, more is of very little use.
Storm Shell
Casting time: 6
Duration: 10 rounds
Affects: caster
Effect: gives caster 15/- resistance to fire, cold and electiricity.
A brilliant general protection spell against 3 major types of damage. Must take
1, more has little use.
Summon nature's ally III
Casting time: 6
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions.
These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for
their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be
much weaker than the enemies. Avoid.
4th level spells
Call lightning
Casting time: 1 round
Duration: 10 rounds/level
Saving throw: R. halves
Affects: 1 enemy every 10 rounds. Only works outside.
Effect: does 1d10 electric damage to an enemy seen by the caster
automatically.
This is a brilliant spell for outside and you could take up to 3 charges. Don't
bother when going indoors for long periods though.
Cure serious wounds
Casting time: 7
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: heals 3d8 +1/level(max +15) of damage.
Rangers aren't great at healing damage, as they gain spells far too slowly for
the healing to have much significance. But they generally do max healing the
spell allows because of the levels at which they gain spells. Not too bad
though. Better than the previous 2 healing spells.
Flame strike
Casting time: 8
Saving throw: R. halves
Affects: 10 foot radius
Effect: all affected creatures take 1d6/level(max 15d6) fire damage.
This is a brilliant spell, and will always do 15d6 damage because of the time a
ranger will get this. You can do large amounts of damage to several enemies with
this. You should take plenty.
Freedom of movement
Casting time: 7
Duration: 10 rounds/level
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: Immune to all magic that slows movement.
This has some use, but as it only affects one creature and the common spells
cast are area-effect, it isn't great.
Giant vermin
Casting time: 7
Duration: 10 rounds/level
Effect: Summons an giant insect. Improves with caster level.
As this summoning spell improves with caster level, it is extremely useful for a
ranger, and is certainly worth taking.
Nondetection
Casting time: 3
Duration: 1 hour/level
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: Makes a creature undetectable by spells that reveal hidden or
invisible creatures.
Enemies rarely use these spells. Don't bother.
Snakebite
Casting time: 5
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving throw: F. negates
Affects: Caster
Effect: Turns arms into snakes which attack twice each round doing 1d3
piercing and poisons target. The poison paralyzes the target and does 6 poison
damage each round for 4 rounds
The poison has a very small amount of use, but taking a poisoned weapon will be
much more effective, and won't waste a valuable spell charge. Avoid this spell.
Star metal cudgel
Casting time: 7
Duration: 30 rounds
Affects: caster
Effect: creates a club that does 2d6+2 damage, has a +2 attack bonus
and can hit any creature that requires up to a +4 weapon to recieve damage. Does
2d6 more against undead and constructs.
If you have a level 15 ranger then you should have a much better weapon
combination than this. Don't bother.
Summon nature's ally IV
Casting time: 6
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions.
These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for
their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be
much weaker than the enemies. Avoid.
5th level spells
Animal rage
Casting time: 8
Duration: 15 rounds
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: Target gains +4 Str and Con, + 20% movement, +2 tp S.T. and
loses ability to cast spells. 5% chance target will go berserk.
This is a good buffer spell, and the target goes berserk only very rarely. Worth
taking 1, but no more.
Insect plague
Casting time: 1 round
Duration: 15 rounds
Affects: 25 foot radius
Effect: All creatures in the swarm suffer 1HP damage each round and
can't cast spells. Creatures of less than 3 hit dice will try to flee the cloud,
ones of less than 6 hit dice must make a W.S.T. to remain in the swarm. Undead
and constructs are immune.
This has some use to restrict enemies attempting to cast spells, especially as
you can send undead summons after them without having them affected. Could take
1 charge.
Iron skins
Casting time: 1 round
Duration: 8 hours
Affects: caster
Effect: caster gets damage reduction of 10/- to bludgeoning, piercing
and slashing damage. Applies to 1 attack/2 caster levels (max 8 attacks).
This has some use, and it will always protect against 8 attacks for the ranger,
but 8 hits is not many and there are much better spells to spend charges on. Not
worth it.
Smashing wave
Casting time: 1 round
Saving throw: R. halves
Affects: all creatures hit by 5 foot wide wave
Effect: Does 1d8(caster level) crushing damage (max 15d8), 25% chance
of stunning target for 2 rounds, 5% chance of knocking creature unconscious.
This is brilliant, you can send this and hit a long line of enemies, doing 15d8
damage to each and stunning some, not many become unconscious. Take several
charges.
Summon nature's ally V
Casting time: 6
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions.
These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for
their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be
much weaker than the enemies. Avoid.
6th level spells
Conjure animals
Casting time: 9
Duration: 40 rounds
Effect: Summons a mountain bear.
The mountain bear is powerful, and remains for ages, and is never hostile. This
is a very nice summon and 1 charge should certainly be taken.
Planar ally: fire elemental
Casting time: 1 round
Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/level
Effect: Summons a 16 hit dice fire elemental that will target anything
not under effects from PROTECTION FROM EVIL(PFE).
This is a powerful summoning spell, but you need your other characters to have
plenty of charges of PFE to ensure your own safety. Take a charge, if you are
prepared to protect yourself a lot first.
Elemental barrier
Casting time: 7
Duration: 1 round/level
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: gives target damage resistance of 15/- to acid, cold, fire and
electric damage.
The manual doesn't acknowledge this as available to the ranger, it is however
and is another useful resistance spell that can be cast by the ranger. It can be
taken but the level 3 spell STORM SHELL does almost as much and you get many
more spell charges for that level. Wouldn't bother, though the effects are good.
Sol's searing orb
Casting time: 6
Saving throw: F. halves damage and negates blindness
Affects: 1 creature
Effect: blinds target creature and does 6d12 fire damage. Undead take
double damage.
This is very useful spell, it does plenty of damage and you get bonuses against
target after blinding. Worth taking.
Static charge
Casting time: 1 round
Duration: 10 turns
Saving throw: R. halves
Affects: 1 visible enemy each turn
Effect: does 1d8(caster level) electricity damage (max 16d8).
This is brilliant, once you get this the ranger will be level 22, so this will
always do 16d8 damage. This should be used the moment a long battle begins. Take
plenty.
Summon nature's ally VI
Casting time: 6
Duration: 1 round/level
Effect: Summons 1 random creature. Better than previous versions.
These spells are useless for the ranger. As rangers must wait a long time for
their spells, the enemies improve so quickly that summoned creatures will be
much weaker than the enemies. Avoid.
This guide is copyright 2005 by Michael Marshall. Icewind Dale is copyrighted by
the companies who developed it. I am not associated in any way with any company
or person involved in the creation of this game. This may not be reproduced
under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed
on any website or otherwise distributed publicly unless you e-mail me a request
and recieve a reply giving permission. Use of this guide on a unpermitted
website or as part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation
of copyright.